Sabbath Law and Rest

[tanach]

The Poll misses one solution to the whole question if it really bothers anyone. How about working a five day week and attend a church Saturday and Sunday that way you will be fully covered.

 

[gotime]

The weekly sabbath is not even mentioned in Hebrews 4. Hebrews 3 is about faith, so that context undermines the idea that chapter 4 is about keeping of the law.


Hebrews 4:9 says:

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Hebrews 4:9 (KJV)

Consequently a sabbath rest remains for the people of God. Hebrews 4:9 (LEB)​

A literal translation of this verse says:

Consequently, a keeping of a sabbath is left to GOD's people. Hebrews 4:9​

The Greek word translated rest and sabbath rest above is σαββατισμός (sabbatismos, G4520), which is a noun meaning a keeping of a sabbath. It can refer to a kept weekly sabbath (Exodus 20:8), a kept 7-year land sabbath (Leviticus 25:2), or a kept festival (appointed time) sabbath (Leviticus 25:32). Scriptural context determines the type of sabbath.

It is an unusual word that is used only one time in the NT (Hebrews 4:9), not at all in the Greek Septuagint (LXX), and very rarely in other ancient writings. The verb form of this word is σαββατίζω (sabbatizo), which means to keep a sabbath. It is not used in the New Testament, but is used in the LXX to refer to keeping all three types of sabbaths listed above (weekly, 7-year land, appointed time).

The context of chapters 3 and 4 in Hebrews is not a weekly sabbath, nor a 7-year land sabbath, but the sabbath rest of the land promised to Israel, which many under Moses were not able to enter into because of unbelief. In fact, the weekly sabbath is not even mentioned in Hebrews 4.

The most interesting usage of σαββατίζω (sabbatizo, to keep a sabbath) in the LXX is in Leviticus 23:32 where Israel is commanded yearly to keep the sabbath of the day of atonement. This appointed time was a sabbath of sabbaths (essentially a most holy sabbath), and was the holiest day of the year in which Israel's sins were removed for a year. The appointed time of Tabernacles began on the 15th day of the month, 5 days after the day of atonement, and was a time set apart for Israel to rest from their yearly labors. The first day of this festival was a sabbath, and the day following this festival was a sabbath; so it was bracketed by special sabbaths that were distinct from any weekly sabbaths that occurred during that time.

Genesis 8:4 states that Noah’s ark rested on the 17th day of the 7th month. This day falls within the 7-day festival of Tabernacles, which is the 7th festival (or appointed time) of YHWH. The number 7 always signifies rest from labor.

Additionally, the children of Israel were originally supposed to enter into rest in the promised land during the time of first ripe grapes. That harvest occurs in the fall of the year, as do the appointed times of the day of atonement and Tabernacles.

And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan ... Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes. Numbers 13:17-20​

In other words, GOD's original plan for their entering into rest corresponded with these appointed times in the fall.

However, they did not enter in under Moses because of unbelief, and subsequently wandered in the desert for 40 years. Afterwards they entered the promised land under Joshua just before Passover in the first month of the year. But they did not enter into the true rest that GOD has planned for his people from the foundation of the world, as indicated in Hebrews 4:8:

For if Joshua had caused them to rest, he would not have spoken about another day after these things. Hebrews 4:8​

This change of entering the promised land (which symbolizes rest) from the appointed times in the 7th month to the appointed time of Passover in the first month signifies GOD's postponement of his people's true rest until Christ, our Passover, could accomplish and establish the more excellent way that would allow GOD's people to forever enter into their final rest in the (as of yet) unfulfilled appointed times of YHWH.

So, IMO, the future fulfillments of these appointed times (what he calls another day) are what the writer of Hebrews is referring to in Hebrew 4:8-9. The example of disobedient Israelites not entering into rest in the promised land through unbelief warns us to always strive through faith to enter into Christ's rest, that culminates in the keeping of the sabbath of the fulfilled day of atonement and subsequent festival of Tabernacles, when those who do believe fully enter into GOD's promised eternal rest.

So let us strive daily to enter into this keeping of a sabbath that is left for GOD's people when Christ returns to give them rest.

Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29​

Hebrews 3 is indeed bout faith but also about disobedience, In fact you can not separate the two. Heb 3:18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient? Heb 3:19 And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

The Author relates their story to us when He says: Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: This means we are to learn from their mistake. Sin is the issue as stated: Heb 3:17 And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
Point out which verses others don't address, and I will address them. In the meantime:​ Sin both in the new and old testament is transgression of the law. SO the issue is very clearly a lack of faith and disobedience to God.

you said"The weekly sabbath is not even mentioned in Hebrews 4"

But that is not accurate at all and is easily seen. You yourself admit that There is a Sabbath rest but you change the meaning to fit your understanding. but what does the text actually say?

Heb 4:4 For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;
Heb 4:5 and in this place again, They shall not enter into my rest.

Now here is your mistake, you make these both the same rest but they are not. the Author is linking them, in other words He is saying that the seventh day has something directly to do with the people not entering the rest in Canaan.

So being that there is a lack of faith and disobedience and the seventh day is linked we simply need to go back to the Old testament and see what possible could be referenced here. also the 40 years are mentioned. Exodus 16 just so happens to be where the Sabbath is used as a test to see if they would keep the law of God. and they did disobey and God continued the test for 40 years. read the chapter.

By the way it is nonsensical to disconnect the Sabbath from this passage.

Heb 4:4 For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;

Here is the passage:Gen 2:1 And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made.

Here is the commandment that directly links the Sabbath day to the finishing of Gods works:

Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;
Exo 20:10 but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Here is the Psalm He is quoting for that links God as creator with the issue also:

sa 95:3 For Jehovah is a great God, And a great King above all gods.
Psa 95:4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the mountains are his also.
Psa 95:5 The sea is his, and he made it; And his hands formed the dry land.
Psa 95:6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker:
Psa 95:7 For he is our God, And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To-day, oh that ye would hear his voice!
Psa 95:8 Harden not your heart, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness;
Psa 95:9 When your fathers tempted me, Proved me, and saw my work.
Psa 95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with that generation, And said, It is a people that do err in their heart, And they have not known my ways:
Psa 95:11 Wherefore I sware in my wrath, That they should not enter into my rest.

Here is the issue they were tested on:

Exo 16:4 Then said Jehovah unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.

Exo 16:28 And Jehovah said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
Exo 16:29 See, for that Jehovah hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
Exo 16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

Exo 16:35 And the children of Israel did eat the manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat the manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
Exo 16:36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

Here is the instruction given to those who would actually cross over into the Canaan rest connected with this same issue.

Deu 8:1 All the commandment which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Jehovah sware unto your fathers.
Deu 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble thee, to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or not.
Deu 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by everything that proceedeth out of the mouth of Jehovah doth man live.

I am not going to explain it all, either you will study and see that the 7th day Sabbath is the issue being referenced here. or you will not listen in which case I am wasting my time.

But if you are interested in studying take note also of these texts that connect it to judgement:

Exo 16:33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omerful of manna therein, and lay it up before Jehovah, to be kept throughout your generations.
Exo 16:34 As Jehovah commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.

Heb 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holy of holies;
Heb 9:4 having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

note the Old testament and new testament teaching of what the Most Holy place has to do with Judgment. Blessings

 

[wolfwint]

There is a division in the Christian community regarding what is required and what is desired by God for man's earthly rest.

1. Some say that God clearly requires a Friday sunset - Saturday sunset Sabbath.
2. Others say that God desires this Saturday Sabbath for us and blesses that specific day.
3. Others say that God desires a weekly day of rest, and blesses those who rest one day per week.
4. Others say that we are to ignore the idea entirely.

Which views are appropriate, and which views oppose Scripture?

Well, i missed the option. First day of the week, which we will call sunday The day of ressuraction. In acts 15 the Apostels debate which laws a beliver Form heathen background should hold. Keeping the sabbath is not among them. So as jew you should the sabbath. As Christian we are not bound. Its as some other postet important to keep one day for the Lord and take rest. So normally it is sunday. But meanwhile many people, as I am, have to work on Sunday. So i believe it is in gods eyes no problem then to take another day. The Lord sees our heart and we are not longer under law.

 

[JaumeJ]

Do we belong to God or do we belong to the Apostles. It is odd the Apostles debated something they were teaching from what is now the Torah?

Well, i missed the option. First day of the week, which we will call sunday The day of ressuraction. In acts 15 the Apostels debate which laws a beliver Form heathen background should hold. Keeping the sabbath is not among them. So as jew you should the sabbath. As Christian we are not bound. Its as some other postet important to keep one day for the Lord and take rest. So normally it is sunday. But meanwhile many people, as I am, have to work on Sunday. So i believe it is in gods eyes no problem then to take another day. The Lord sees our heart and we are not longer under law.

 

[wolfwint]

Do we belong to God or do we belong to the Apostles. It is odd the Apostles debated something they were teaching from what is now the Torah?

So you believe as christians we should follow and obey the thora? God does not comand us to be under the Law.For us is important to follow what God tells us in the new testament. And this seems me challenge enough!

 

[JaumeJ]

That is a stretch. Try putting someone else on trail, Mr. Judge. Have you been shown mercy? Then show mercy in return, and stop jumping to the nearest conclusion.

So you believe as christians we should follow and obey the thora? God does not comand us to be under the Law.For us is important to follow what God tells us in the new testament. And this seems me challenge enough!

 

[wolfwint]

That is a stretch. Try putting someone else on trail, Mr. Judge. Have you been shown mercy? Then show mercy in return, and stop jumping to the nearest conclusion.

I dont judge! I have no problem if you celebrate the Sabbath from Friday night till saturday sunset. I celebrate sunday, beause the first christians did so. Its the day of our Lords resurrection.

 

[JaumeJ]

The Ten Commandments are not laws they are the Ten commandments. Aside from this distinction, keep in mind long before the Ten were given, the Sabbath was given to mankind as a day of rest, a gift to share with the Father. We may worship any day of the week, but this will never change the order of creation and the order of the day of rest, a gift from the Father.

People may choose what day they wish to call the Sabbath, and there is no fault, but I elect to go along with the order of the creation week according to God. Simple, and not a controversy from my heart, soul, or mind.

God bless all who worship and obey as they see fit in the sight of God. I pray they all enjoy the freedom of Jesus Christ's grace, amen.

 

[EarnestQ]

FWIW, I kind of looked into this for myself from time-to-time. The following are some notes I made to myself about my thoughts on the subject. Perhaps it will have some value to someone else.



Focusing exclusively on God for one full day (12 hours, more or less) a week is the FOURTH COMMANDMENT! It is not an option. This commandment is more important than the commandments to not kill (#6) or not commit adultery (#7).

After reviewing the passages in the Old Testament that discuss what one is to do on the Sabbath, I am convinced that the point of the Sabbath is not to just take it easy all day long but to devote at least twelve hours a week to discussing and meditating on the things of God.

DT 6:4 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. 8 Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Josh 1:8 [Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed.]

Is 58:13 Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don't pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the LORD's holy day. Honor the LORD in everything you do, and don't follow your own desires or talk idly. If you do this, 14 the LORD will be your delight.


In Christ, that time does not have to be from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. But it should be no less important to us.

If one prefers to schedule an hour five mornings a week, and then three hours and four hours on two other days, that is far more valuable to developing our relationship with God and His Son, than legalistically just refusing to do anything for twelve hours on Saturday.

Col 2:16 So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17 For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself.

Col 3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. 2 Let heaven fill your thoughts.


Paul talks about the OT being written on stone, and the NT being written on our hearts. We are to make our hearts and minds and lives "holy to the Lord." Our hearts and minds and lives are now to be the new Sabbath of the Lord.

In OT we were to focus on the vague concept of God on the Sabbath. In NT we are to focus on the clear reality of Christ who is our Sabbath.


Scheduled weekly “Sabbath time”, that is, time dedicated exclusively to God out of each week, is not an option. It is the 4th most important commandment. It is not to be a day of rest and/or recreation for us. It is quality time set aside every week, for us to worship God and grow closer to Him in wisdom, love, and truth.


The OT believers were to spend an entire day (12 hours, more or less) each week bringing God into their daily lives. True Christians need to set aside specific and significant amounts of quality time each week to focus on God while ignoring everything else. They are free in Christ to spread that time out during the week.



Do you feel like God is not doing much in your life this week? How much time this week have you spent welcoming Him into your life?

If you have not earnestly welcomed God into your life this week, why do you presume that he should work in your life without your permission?

How much concentrated and consecrated time each week do you spend bringing God into your daily life?


Obeying the Sabbath is a testimony that God created everything and that he is more important to us than everything. Ex 20:10-11

 

[TMS]

Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Mar_2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Mar_2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

After Mankind was created, the Sabbath was set aside and hallowed by God. The Sabbath was made for man not for God or the animals and it was given to man before sin entered.
If man was meant to live forever and the Sabbath was a gift for man than I can’t see any reason why it is less important today or a temporary gift that was to pass away.

Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

God is specific in this command. He didn’t say keep it however you like as long as you acquire about 12 hours per week. We should respect God and obey (trust and obey), surely by now we’ve learnt what happens when we do things our way instead of Gods way.

 

[ChristEm]

The Sabbath is rest after any True work.